Linger
by Captain LN
Summary: Stuck alone on a space ship that has windows into 17th century France, Rose has an altogether different experience of 'The Girl in the Fireplace'… Spoilers for the episode obviously  steer clear if you don't like DW fluff!


**Title: **Linger

**Author:** Moi, the dear Captain!

**Rating:** T – Pure fluff and angst!

**Main Characters**: All Rose, bless her…

**Full Summary:** Stuck alone on a space ship that has windows into 17th century France, Rose has an altogether different experience of _The Girl in the Fireplace_…

**Setting:** On that ship in _The Girl in the Fireplace_. Guess what! Spoilers for the episode here!

**Pairing:** Doctor!Rose, and implied Doctor!Reinette

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Doctor Who_ or any of the characters within bar the stated original character. This is meant for entertainment purposes only. Thank you, Auntie Beeb!

**Author's Notes: **I couldn't help but explore how Rose would have felt about the Doctor and... well, no spoilers until later on, but I felt awful for her! Obviously, I'm taking artistic license saying that the clockwork droids managed to stick a ton of camcorders all over the French palace, but work with me here... :P Reviews are more than welcome!!

* * *

Rose stood, watching the screens on the wall as they recorded every movement within that palace, including seeing the Doctor. Sighing, it was so unlike any of their adventures; usually, she was the one running with him, laughing with him, being completely terrified but knowing that he would think of something to protect her from danger. It was a beautiful arrangement, and she had no idea that something like this would happen, standing on the edge of the world as he carried on as he always did.

_I'm missing you already, Doctor._

She had always believed that there was something special between them. Oh, there were numerous occasions that the denizens of different planets asked if they were lovers, and they always denied it, laughing it off with each other later on as they recounted old tales. They had such a fantastic time together, and Rose saw them as a couple, having no idea how she would ever cope without that roaming Time Lord by her side. After all, weren't they a team, fighting all of the injustice of the universe and battling dozens of amazing monsters throughout time and space? Sometimes, though, it seemed too easy for the Doctor to brush her off, and she couldn't understand him. To forget that he was really an ancient alien was such a simple thing, considering he appeared to be so, well, so human. The only things that Rose remembered were those beautiful hearts of his, and the way that they drummed out what was a melody to her.

_I didn't even realise how much I needed you._

Today, though, everything had gone oh so wrong. There was a whirlwind of emotion, the poor young woman stuck with that incompetent Mickey as the Doctor flew around fireplaces to try and work out something that even eluded him. Now, she was the one left behind, just like Sarah Jane.

_I thought I was different. Didn't you say I was different?_

She could see him on the monitor. The space station recorded so much in the palace at Versailles, although the audio was too scratchy to hear much more than just static. There was the odd word that came across, but not enough to correctly decipher a conversation. A physical pain shot across the girl's chest as she watched the Doctor duck behind a wall, seemingly enraptured by such a feminine beauty, clenching her jaw to force the tears backwards as she turned away from the screen, closing her eyes. She could see him now, holding the woman's hand, touching her as he had once touched Rose, a day ago that could have been a million years past.

_Do you love her? After all of the time I've spent with you, everything we've been through?_

When did she realise that she was in love with the Doctor? His last incarnation had shown her that she actually meant something. During their first adventure, Rose had just been than chavvy shop assistant, folding clothes and doing nothing important with her life. It wasn't as if she was an intelligent creature; academia was never her strong point, so she had just believed that she would do exactly what most of her old friends had done, floating through life in a blur of work, sex and alcohol. Perhaps get married and have a couple of kids, but that was nothing special. After the Nestene Consciousness, that young Rose proved her worth, using a different kind of intelligence to show what she was capable of. That Doctor had given Rose something magnificent to live for, and she would never forget him for that. From that moment, she had been infatuated with him, despite the many denials of that fact. True love had come later.

_I thought what we had was something you'd never had before._

Was it really ridiculous to think that everything would always stay perfect between them? It was always clear that they would never settle down anywhere else bar the TARDIS, and there was never a mention of family, so that was probably out too. Not that those type of things mattered, when all Rose wanted to do was be with the Time Lord, telling him that she loved him and would never give up on him, no matter what. No one meant as much to her as he did: he could push her away but she'd force her way back to him, no matter what he said or did.

_I can't live without you, my Doctor._

It was times like this, though, seeing him with her that Rose almost believed that he was doing it deliberately. How could he not know how much she adored him? Was this to show the young woman that he didn't want anything more than a friendly companionship? The Doctor was far from stupid, and he simply had to have noticed that there were computer screens linking through to 17th century France, showing everyone on board the random starship exactly what was happening through those time windows. Did he know how much it would hurt her, and just carry on anyway, to see what she would do?

_You could do anything, say anything, and I'll still be here. Did you know this would happen from the start? Do you even know how much I care?_

Sarah Jane suddenly popped into Rose's mind. Hadn't the Doctor just left her behind, without a word? Would this 'Reinette' replace her and travel with her Time Lord instead? Those tears pricked up again, not caring if Mickey could see or hear her sorrow. Not even that idiot would poke fun when she was so genuinely upset.

How could the Doctor lead her on, though? Whenever they ran from danger, he grabbed her hand and gave a small squeeze whenever she was unsure, just like that caring lover that so many other beings believed he was. There was no denying that he deeply cared about her; when she had looked into the Vortex, he had sacrificed his life to save hers, losing a part of himself forever. What more could anyone ask for as a show of devotion?

_I can't let go now. I thought you loved me, too. Are you just trying to help her out? Is this you flirting? Do you love me?_

Then Rose saw it. Her gaze was drawn to another, smaller screen higher up the metal wall, and her neck craned upwards to see it, her eyes even having to squint to focus the picture. There was no sound, just the crackle, and the picture itself was awful, with lines across the monitor and greyish jumping frames every so often distorting what she could make out, but the view itself was definitely obvious. Reinette and the Doctor were talking, and then there was a jump, the image fuzzing over completely for a few seconds, until coming across with a crystal clarity for a handful of seconds. Just enough, of course, to see something terrible: a kiss between them, a true kiss, with the Doctor even beginning to move his arms to embrace the blonde beauty.

_Doctor, I just thought…_

Snapping her neck downwards, hands covering her eyes, Rose began to sob, all of her fears becoming realised. Was this how it felt to have your heart break?


End file.
